Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has disclosed that insurgency destroyed more than 5,000 school structures across the state and pushed about 2.2 million children out of school at the height of the crisis.
Zulum made the disclosure on Sunday in Maiduguri while commissioning several completed projects across the state.
The governor said the destruction of educational facilities, alongside the deaths of teachers and school administrators, caused severe disruption to education in Borno.
“The insurgency destroyed more than 5,000 school structures, while at its peak, an estimated 2.2 million children were out of school, with fewer than 500,000 enrolled,” Zulum said.
“Many teachers and school administrators lost their lives in the course of duty.”
He said rebuilding efforts by his administration were not limited to replacing damaged infrastructure, stressing that the broader goal was to restore access to education and rebuild confidence among communities affected by the insurgency.
“Today, we have formally commissioned four important projects: the Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School; the Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School; the post office nine-span flyover; and the dualisation of the 2.5-kilometre road, together with five kilometres of drainage, from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu,” he said.
Zulum added: “Rebuilding schools is beyond constructing physical structures. It is about restoring access to education, rebuilding confidence in our communities and providing our children with the opportunity to secure a better future.”
According to the governor, the state government spent N46,987,069,675.33 on basic and secondary education during the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
“Today’s commissioning forms part of this broader investment, alongside 136 projects that have been completed and are awaiting commissioning,” he said.
Zulum said his administration had continued to expand and upgrade infrastructure in public pre-primary and primary schools across Borno.
He disclosed that the number of usable classrooms had risen to 5,792, while functional Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities had increased to 4,563.
At the senior secondary school level, the governor said the number of functional schools had grown substantially since 2019.
According to him, the number increased from 34 schools across eight local government areas in 2019 to 129 schools spread across 25 LGAs by 2026.
Zulum also disclosed that school enrolment had risen from 766,551 learners in 2019 to 1,801,295 in 2026.
The increase represents more than one million additional learners over seven years, which the governor attributed to improved access to education, increased public confidence and sustained government investment in the sector.
Source: Borno State Government
